Baltimore walking tour & city guide

The Inner Harbor

The Inner Harbor is Baltimore's showpiece, with a waterfront promenade, the National Aquarium and historic ships including the USS Constellation, a sailing warship from 1854. Federal Hill Park, on a hill on the south side, has the best view of the harbor and the skyline.

Fort McHenry and Mount Vernon

During the War of 1812, the British bombarded Fort McHenry, and the sight of the flag still flying the next morning inspired Francis Scott Key to write The Star-Spangled Banner. The star-shaped fort is now a national monument, reachable by water taxi.

The elegant Mount Vernon neighborhood is home to the first monument to George Washington, begun in 1815, which you can climb, and the Walters Art Museum, which is free.

A classic waterfront walk

Start at Federal Hill Park for the view, then walk down and around the Inner Harbor promenade past the Maryland Science Center, the historic ships and the National Aquarium. Continue east along the waterfront through Harbor East, a district of new towers and shops.

The walk ends in Fells Point, an 18th-century shipbuilding village with cobbled streets, old taverns and a lively waterfront square. The route is about 4 kilometers, and water taxis can take you back.

Visiting tips

Late spring and early autumn are the most pleasant seasons; crab season runs from spring to autumn. Baltimore is about an hour from Washington, D.C., by train. Like any big city, some neighborhoods are best avoided at night, so stick to the main areas.